Kval — “Kval” (2017)

The album description says: “As the broken wheel of life, emptiness, and chaos turns, the burden of sorrow can be so heavy that it brings any grown man to its knees. Kval, like a thick fog prevailing over an ancient forest, carries the last pangs of hope below this ominous landscape. Cold guitars and tortured screams roll over slow-bleeding drum patterns like walls of icy wind, only interrupted from time to time by a short interlude. This 43-minute full-length album is articulated around four massive songs, ranging from 6 to over 10 minutes each, and rounded with three minimalistic ambient songs. Originally released under the name Khaossos in 2015, this one-man project’s debut album from Finland has been re-recorded, and was given a new artwork (courtesy Moonroot Art), thus carrying more than ever the purity and vacuity of atmospheric black metal. …Let yourself be carried away. For fans of Burzum, Forgotten Woods, and Mortualia.”

Kval

I’ve found this project during my endless YouTube surfs and was charmed from the first sight, from the very first song. It seems that I was looking for something like “Kval” for quite a long time and wasn’t able to find. Now you can imagine my happiness!

This self-titled album by Kval is very raw, melancholic and sad. Its inner anger overwhelms and fills over the borders at the same time. Kval is really heavy-influenced by Burzum’s masterpiece “Filosofem”, one of my most loved black metal albums of all times. You can find similarly distorted guitars here, and the atmosphere is the same. But this is not bad because Kval has brought new features and themes in his own “Filosofem”.

Tracklist

Usva

Sokeus

Harhainen

Kaiku Tyhjyydesta

Polkuni Vailla Suuntaa

Kuolonkuu

Toisella Puolen

Pros

Burzum. I like Burzum and now I like Kval because Varg’s music is not a bad option for copying.

Cons

Repetitiveness. This album is very long, monotonous and raw, so it can be a challenge for an unprepared listener.

Overal

Several years ago I listened to Burzum a lot. I took a train and listened to Burzum self-titled or “Filosofem” albums while I was looking in the windows, searching something in rapidly changing nature. Later in my darkest days, I took these albums on my endless walkings in the local park. It’s hard to say how many hours have I spent walking and thinking.

And now I’ve found Kval which returned me to this old emotional state. Now I’ve remembered how and more importantly what should I do. This is the best thing this music was able to do for me.